Sewing-machine feeding mechanism.



C. H. T. HAGELSTEIN.

SEWING MACHINE FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21.1914.

1,1.7A4A. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

\ M, awn/0124M, @MSMLZM E a rm ENT onto.

CHRISTIAN H. T. HAGELSTEIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB, TO THE REESE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SEWING-MACHINE FEEDING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 27, 1914.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN H. T. HAGELSTEIN. a citizen of the United States, residing at Dorchester. in the city of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a. specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

. This invention relates to sewing machine feeding mechanism, and more particularly to an operative memberor feed (log with mechanism for actuating it in opposition to a resilient work clamping member or presserfoot for advancing the work between the formation of stitches in sewing machines of various types.

For convenience the present invention is shown as applied to the type of sewing machine illustrated in my previously issued Patent No. 1,009,408, although the present improvement might obviously be otherwise employed.

An object of the present improvement is to generally improve the construction and operation of such a sewing machine feeding mechanism. 'As the speed of a sewing machine is increased beyond certain limits, the objectionable results of vibration become more and more apparent and troublesome.

An object hereof is to render the feeding mechanism more smoothly running and, therefore, quieter, so as to permit an increase in speed withoutsacrifice of the other desirable qualities.

Another object is to reform the actual movement of the under feed dog or block, so as to give more efficient feeding action.

Further objects hereof will be elucidated in the hereinafter followin description.

To the attainment of these objects referred to, the present invention consists in the novel mechanisms, parts, combinations, arrangements and other features herein shown or described.

First will be described an illustrative em bodiment of the present improvement and thereafter the novel features will be pointed out in the claims.

' In the accompanying drawings forming a part. hereof, Figure 1 is a plan view of so much of the interior portion of a buttonhole finishing machine embodying the present improvement as is essential to the. description Specification of Letters Patent.

Pat nted Mar. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 847,589.

thereof. Fig. 2 is a left elevation of the same parts, also showing a portion of the work plate, the presser-foot and the work between them. Fig. 3 is in the nature of a diagram showing the cycle of movements of the feed block.

The fixed parts of the machine may include a work plate 10, frame part 11, shaftbearings 12, 13, etc.

The main shaft, or one of the main shafts, 15 is shown as extending horizontally longitudinally of the machine supported in the bearings 12, and driven by pulley l6 and belt 17. A counter-shaft 20 is shown supported in the same blocks or bearings 12, 13, and this shaft may be driven in any suitable manner, for example, by means of the equal gears 21, 22.

The work plate 10 is apertured to receive the feed block or dog 25, and above and opposed to the work plate and feed block is the presser-foot 23, normally held down upon the work by a yielding contrivance 2% of any ordinary form.

The feed block 25 is shown supported upon a carrier 26, which is in the form of an elongated bar set transversely to the length of the machine. The feed block carrier 26 is shown as supported by the mechanism which actuates it. thisbeing a convenient and usual expedient. Thus, the rear end of the carrier 26 is pivoted to the upper end of a swinging arm 27 which, at its lower end, is fulcrumed upon a stud 28. The effective direction of the arm 27 being substantially vertical, its ,to-and-fro swinging movements guide and move the feed block carrier. in a substantially horizontal directlon.

It will be understood that the feed block is required to have a cycle of movements involving both horizontal and vertical components, since the advancing or rearward movement of the feed block must be in an upper position in contact with the work, while the return or idle movement of the block is at a lower point.

For effecting the horizontal movements of the feed block and carrier, connections may be employed which operate through the upright supporting arm 27. Thus, a stud 29 v connected to a cam follower 31, which in turn engages with a cam 32 carried directly on and rotating with the shaft 15. No novelty is predicated on the type of cam and follower shown, as such type is well-known for the purpose of effecting horizontal feed movements, but. as will be hereinafter shown, the contou and timing of the parts embody certain important features. For effecting the up-and-down movements of the feed block and carrier. certain mechanical devices are shown, which, as usual. are located to operate upon the forward end of the carrier. These devices, according hereto. are operated from the shaft 20. At the left end of the shaft is shown a head or crank disk 35, having a stud supporting extension 36. A stud 37 eccentric-ally located on the crank disk acts as a fulcrum, which. by a short link 38, is connected to a stud 39 mounted on the forward end of the feed block carrier 26.

It will be seen that the horizontal and vertical movements respectively of the feed dog are effected from two continuously and oppositely rotating shafts, which are adjacently parallel and are geared together to rotate in unison. By this arrangement the unbalanced weight of the parts is divided or split up, so as to reduce and, to some extent, counterbalance the effects of mo1nentum at the very high speed at which the parts are to run. Thus, part of the objects referred to are attained.

It will also be seen that a continuously rotating crank of short throw is used for raising and lowering the feed block, so that the same smooth continuity of up-and-down movement is attained that obtains with the reciprocating crosshead of a steam engine. This also furthers the objects of the present improvement. Therefore extreme ease of adjustment is secured. The stud 29 adjusts vertically in a usual manner for varying the extent of horizontal feed movement; while the crank parts 35, 36. 37, afford a novel, simple and efficient adjustment of vertical movement.

The described mechanism does not perform the ordinary four-motion operation, but is such as to give to the feed block a novel action and function. The usual fourmotion feed involves a purely or substantially horizontal advance movement or feed movement of the feed block throughout its feeding action, followed by a lowering and a return movement and a lifting between the successive feed movements. In the present invention, on the contrary, th-e'movements are quite different and may be as illustrated by the diagram, Fig. This diagram shows the feed block in four positions. The path of movement is illustrated on the diagram with respect to the upper left-hand corner of the block. The initial position, indicated by a, is shown in full lines, and

the second, third and fourth positions, 6,0,(1, are shown in dotted lines. The advance movement of the feed block, during which the actual feeding is effected. is represented by the curved'line. (1-4). This is substantially the arc of a circle, which, it continued, would first rise from the point (rand afterward descend. The feed movement, however. is cut off at the point 1) during the ascent of the feed block. In consequence thereof the feed block is constantly rising during its feed movement. The point 6 terminates the feeding movement, and immediately the block is dropped to the point e, followed by the return movement c-d and the relifting of the block from (Z to a for a repetition of operations. This described operation is of great utility in securing the stated object of rendering the feeding action more efficient. At the very high rate of speed of the parts the rising movement of the feed dog practically strikes a blow at the underside of the resilient presser-foot and the momentum of the parts would frequently tend to cause the presserfoot to slightly lift. \Vith a horizontally traveling fecd block the continued lifting of the presser-foot under momentum might very readily reduce the pressure between the parts. so as to loosen the grip of the feed block upon thework so that the feed would not be so accurate and reliable as desired. \Yith the present construction, however, absolutely reliable cooperation between the feed block and the presscr-foot is secured because, as will be perceived by the diagram, Fig. 3, the feed block constantly rises during the advance or feed movement, so as to follow up and maintain the pressure against the presser-foot. oreover, the curved path of the feed block from a to 1) involves a gradually decreasing rate of lifting during the feed action, and this would be in entire harmony with the tendency of momentum to lift the presser-foot against the increasing resistance of the resilient device 24.

Referring now more in detail to the cam and follower device 31, 32, and the crank device 35-37, they will be seen in Fig. 2 to be so constructed as to secure the action indicated in the diagram illustrated in Fig. 3. The cam and the crank 37 reversely rotate, and the arrows designate their direction. The full lines show the parts at the beginning of the feed movement and correspond with the full line of the diagram, position a. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 show the position of the parts at the end of the feed movement, corresponding with the point I) of the diagram. In Fig. 2 the cam 32 is seen to be holding the cam follower 31, and.

therefore the feed block, at their extreme right-hand position. The crank 37 is shown as positioning the feed block nearly at the top limit of its movement. The continued rotation of the shafts 15 and 20 will simultaneously serve during about one-eighth of a revolution to turn the cam 32 to the dotted I the crank and cam rotate, an eccentric portion of the cam throws the block again rearward as it completes its downward travel, thus describing the path c(Z, upon which the crank eifects the lifting of the block through the path (Za while the cam is again idle.

The representation of motion in the diagram, Fig. 3. may be considered as exaggerated, and it will, of course, be understood that the extent of advance movement or feed and the extent of rising during the feed may be larger or smaller as desired or suitable for any particular purpose.

It will be seen that there has been de scribed a sewing machine including in combination with the stitching means the following features. supporting member, and this and the presser-foot member 23 are resiliently opposed to each other for mutually clamping the work between them. The movable feed block 25 is adapted to engage and disengage the work, which is clamped between said members. The mechanism for actuating said feedblock is adapted to move the block toward the resilient work clamping member throughout its feed movement; and this movement toward the resilient member or presser-foot is at a decreasing speed. The parts 27 to 32 constitute a device for moving the feed block longitudinally in the line of feed. The parts 35 to 39 constitute a crank-operated device for moving it toward and from the resilient work clamping member. Said two devices are so harmoniously timed that the advancing feed movement of the block occurs only at the latter part of The plate 10 is a work rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, so that the two devices upon those shafts operate harmoniously.

It will thus be seen that there has been described a sewing machine feeding mechanism securing the objects and advantages before recited, and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Since many matters of combination, arrangement, detail and other features might be varied without departing from the novel principles involved, no limitation to such features is intended excepting so far as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sewing machine including in combination with stitching means, a work supporting member and a presser-foot member resiliently opposed thereto for mutually clamping the work, a movable feed block adapted to engage and disengage the work which is clamped between said members. and actuating mechanism for giving said block its feed movements and reverse movements and constructed to automatically give said block a movement toward said resilient work clamping member throughout its feed movement.

2. A sewing machine including in combination with stitching means. a work supporting member and a presser-foot member resiliently opposed thereto for mutuallv clamping the work. a movable feed block adapted to engage and disengage the work which is clamped between said members. and actuating mechanism for giving said block its feed movements and reverse movements and constructed to automatically give said block a movement at decreasing speed toard said resilient work clamping member throughout its feed movement.

3. A sewing machine including in com-' bination with stitching means, a work supporting member and a presser-foot member resiliently opposedthercto for mutuallv clamping the work, a movable feed block adapted to engage and disenga e the work which is clamped between said members, and mechanism for actuating said block comprising a device for moving it longitudinally in the line of feed and a crank operated device for moving it toward and from the resilient work clamping member, said two devices so harmoniouslv timed that the ad 'ancing feed movement of the block occurs only at the latter part of the crank operated movement toward said resilient clamping member.

4. In or for a sewing machine a feed block and mechanism for operating it through feed and return movements and for moving it transversely to the work plane toward the work throughout its feed movement.

5. A sewing machine including in combination with stitching means, a work supporting member and a presser-foot member resiliently opposed .thereto for mutually clamping the work, a movable feed block adapted to engage and disengage the work clamped between said members, a continuously rotating shaft, a continuously operating crank device operated from said shaft for moving said block toward and from the work, and means for giving the block its feed and return movements, said crank device and said means so timed that throughout the feed movement the block is moving toward the work at a decreasing speed.

(3. A sewing machine including in combination with stitching means, a work supporting member and a presser-foot member resiliently opposed thereto for mutually clamping the work, a movable feed block adapted to engage and disengage the work clamped between said members, a continuously rotating shaft, a continuously operating crank device operated from said shaft for moving said block toward and from the work. a second shaft, and means for giving the block its feed and return movements actuated from said second shaft, said two shafts geared together to continuously rotate in opposite directions at the same rate, and the connections actuated from said two shafts being so timed that throughout the feed movement the block is moving toward the work at a decreasing speed.

7. A sewing machine including in combination with stitching means, a work supporting member and a presser-foot member resiliently opposed thereto for mutually clamping the work, a movable feed block adapted to engage and disengage the Work clamped between said members, two operating shafts geared together to continuously rotate in unison, a device on one shaft for giving feed and return movements to the block, and a continuously moving device or crank on the other shaft for giving the block movements toward and from the work, and the connections actuated from said two shafts being so timed that through out the feed movement the block is moving toward the work at a decreasing speed.

8. A sewing machine including in combination with stitching means, a work supporting member and a presser-foot member resiliently opposed thereto for mutually clamping the work, a movable feed block adapted to engage and disengage the work clamped between said members, two parallel operating shafts geared together to continuously rotate in unison in opposite directions atthe same speed, a device on one shaft for giving feed and return movements to the block. and a continuously moving device or crank on the other shaft for giving the block movements toward and from the work, said two devices timed so that throughout the feed movement the block is moving toward the work at'a decreasing speed.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTIAN H. T. HAGELSTEIN. Witnesses DONALD CAMPBELL, F. A. SHEA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

